The former light-heavyweight champ appeared before the commission along with manager Mike Kogan and attempted to explain the circumstances behind the positive test. He stated repeatedly that they did not dispute the results of the positive drug test but wished to demonstrate a “lack of intent” from Lawal. They pointed to an over-the-counter supplement, S-Mass Lean Gainer, which they believe caused the fighter to test positive for the steroid Drostanolone following the January fight.

In dealing with a persistent knee injury that flared up prior to fighting Larkin, Lawal said the supplement was recommended to him by an employee of a nutrition chain store as a cheaper and healthier alternative to another supplement he had used in college.

However, he admitted that he didn’t disclose his supplement usage or injury on a pre-fight medical questionnaire. Ultimately, that omission weighed heavily on the commission’s decision not to deviate from its standard punishment in cases in which athletes are flagged for performance-enhancing drugs.

Kogan noted that S-Mass Lean Gainer was not marketed as a banned substance and not known to be illegal when Lawal purchased it. He said the warning listed on the site selling the product wasn’t put in place until July 2011, more than a year after Lawal purchased it in April 2010.

A doctor representing the NSAC told commissioners that the supplement may have caused the positive test but could not be definitively proven.

Kogan acknowledged that while an athlete bears the ultimate responsibility for supplement usage, it would be a mistake to ignore the role of an unregulated industry that “purposefully and maliciously” alters its ingredients to skirt the rules against performance-enhancers.

Prior to the ruling, Lawal said he would accept whatever punishment the commission decided on.

“I’m a man, and I’ll take it like a man,” he said.

The commission praised the fighter for his candor during the meeting but ultimately decided that his lack of disclosure would win him no leniency. An initial motion to levy the nine-month suspension, fines and overturning of the win was quickly seconded, and commissioners voted 5-0 in favor of it.

Lawal’s suspension runs until October. He is currently recovering from a third surgery to correct a torn ACL.

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